MBA Newslinks Archive

“FHFA has a difficult challenge in trying to help underwater homeowners in some of the markets that are still struggling, as they need to balance the moral hazard risk, identify loans that do not add risk to the GSEs or the communities involved, and focus on borrowers that will have the best chance to stay current. FHFA’s program design attempts to mitigate some of these concerns and the result is a narrow focus on lower loan balance and severely delinquent mortgages.”–Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, on the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s announcement of a targeted principal reduction program for some mortgage borrowers.

“Rising prices for existing homes and a strong job market are making the math work for new construction.”–MBA Vice President of Research and Economics Lynn Fisher.

“We gather today at a time of tremendous momentum. Unemployment has cut in half since 2009. And the housing market has served as key part of this.”
–HUD Secretary Julian Castro.

“Banking resources are being tied up with regulatory compliance issues, so there’s not a lot of money left to invest in paperless technology or to train staff. I think we will continue to see growth in paperless mortgages but it will take quite a while before it becomes this standard operating procedure.”–Brent Chandler, founder and CEO of FormFree Holdings Corp., Athens, Ga.

“In 2015, commercial and multifamily real estate borrowing and lending came within a whisker of the record-high level of 2007.” –Mortgage Bankers Association Vice President of Commercial/Multifamily Research Jamie Woodwell.

“Clarity will facilitate efficient compliance, reduce implementation costs and ensure consistent consumer treatment across the market.”–MBA Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs Bill Killmer in a letter to the Senate Banking Committee seeking clear “rules of the road” from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“Commercial real estate borrowing and lending in 2015 came within a whisker of the record high level of 2007. Volume was driven by improving property fundamentals, strong property values and very low interest rates. Despite some credit market disruptions to start off this year and regulatory and other hurdles still ahead, many of those positive factors remain in place.”–MBA Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Research Jamie Woodwell, on the MBA 2015 Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Annual Origination Volume Summation.

“Traditional home prices have peaked in light of stagnant wage growth and a lack of lower-priced properties available on the market. Nearly all of the increase in investment home prices was in the cash sector, where there’s still significant demand.”
–Steve Hovland, manager of research services with HomeUnion, Irvine, Calif.

“Real estate finance professionals are looking for new opportunities, protection from risk and more efficient operation procedures. We need effective solutions to bring even better service to consumers. Just like every good building must have a strong foundation, so must our businesses. Technology is our powerful foundation. It is the infrastructure upon which we should invest to keep the industry moving forward, but also moving together.”–MBA Chairman-Elect Rodrigo Lopez, CMB, speaking yesterday at the MBA National Technology in Mortgage Banking Conference.

“All five CRE sectors saw quarterly increases in deal volume, thanks to the strengthening U.S. dollar and the typical fourth quarter rush among investors to complete deals by the end of the year.”–Ten-X Chief Economist Peter Muoio.